Process for removing snow or ice.



.IA HES S. LAN

G, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCE S FDR REMQVING SNOW OR ICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907,

Application filed March 16,1907. Serial No- 362,722-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. LANG, ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes for Removing Snow or Ice, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

My invention relates. to an improvement in that process of removing snow or ice which consists in distributing on the snow or ice an inflammable vola tile liquid and igniting the vapor of such liquid.

The ordinary method of practicing this process has been to first pour or sprinklithe inflammable liquid upon the snow or ice and afterwards to ignite the vapor of such liquid by applying a flame to it. The process as thus practiccd, though of great utility, is not only a slow one involving distinctsteps, but it is also an uneconomic-a1 one for the reason that before thevapor of the liquid can be ignited after it has been poured out or distributed, a considrnable amount of the vapor has already escaped and the benefit derived from. its ignition becomc lost.

The present process consists in igniting the vapor arising irom the liquid poured upon the snow or ice at the same time that ii; being poured out by means of a ilfllllO produced i'rom. the ignition of the vapor arising from the str u'zn of 'v'olatilc liquid duringthe upplicaiion thereof in the snow or ice. By this is meant that a small p l'il n nl oi the inflammable liquid will have become reduccu to vapor before the romainder oi' the liquid ho ii-i' one deposited upon the snow or ice upon or ovcr which it has been poured. inns much as vupor is consinmiy arising from the liquid stream during the nct oi pouring out illi liquid, this of course becomes ignited by the primary ignition of the vapor providing a flame touching to the snow i or ice on' which the liquid is poured and continuing as long as the liquid is being poured out. Such a continuous flame of course acts to ignite the vapor arising from the liquid which has reached the snow or ice on or over which it'has been pouredand eliminates the necessity of any further ignition.

The primary ignition of the vapor may he successfully accomplished by applying a burning taper to the stream of liquid as it is poured out whereby the vapor arising therefrom will be ignited. Such vapor may also be ignited by means of a torch maintained in a position closely adjacent to the pouring stream of liquid or in any other way agreeable to the operator.

With such mode of application one can cover a great amount of surface in a very short time and prac tically none of the vapor bccomcs lost, for at the same nie the liquid is being applied to the snow or ice the vapor arising from it has become ignited by reason of the primary ignition.

My improved process for removing snow or ice accordingly consists in first igniting the vapor of a volatile inflammableliquid and then applying such liquid with the vapor thereof burning tothe snow or ice Having thus fully described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unitcd States."

1. The process of removing snow or ice consi in igniting the vapor of u \"oluiilo inflmninnblc liquid and then applying such liquid with the vupor thereof burning to the snow or ice.

L. The process of removing snow or ice consisting in pouring upon the snow or ice :ln inflammablevointi-Ic liquid and igniting the. vapor arising )hcrcl'mni by :1 Hume produced by the igniiion of vapor rising from u sir-cum of rho volatile liquid during the :ipplicniion ihorcot' to the snow or ice.

Zuni-1s s: Iii-mo. Witnesses 1 Join E. It. IIAYics, M. In. tmnnn'rr. 

